


Sinfonia d'amore

by Fran_KT



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, No Veela Mates, Triwizard free fic, fleurmione - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:48:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27838597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fran_KT/pseuds/Fran_KT
Summary: Piano prodigy Fleur Delacour finds herself in a new environment when she decides on continuing her studies in the prestigious Julliard School in NYC. Young Hermione Granger never had it easy in life as her mother died and her father never treated her with love nor care. The only happiness the brunette found came from the soft tones from her deceased mother's violin. AU no magic. Eventual Fleurmione. Multi-chap version of Day 4 from Fleurmione Week 2020.
Relationships: Fleur Delacour/Hermione Granger
Comments: 8
Kudos: 86





	1. 1st movement: Ostinato

**Author's Note:**

> Hi again. This little one was supposed to be posted on my birthday, as well [past nov 22nd] but due to some silly issues that let me lose my focus that night, I postponed it for a random day like today. If you are familiar with my Fleurmione Week one-shots, this fic is the multi-chap version of day 4 with a new name and a longer and deeper story. It will be focused a bit on the past of both Fleur and Hermione before getting to the point where the one-shot took place. This fic is not for the faint of heart as it would be a bit angsty and dark at times but as you might know, I am a sucker for happy endings. Oh yeah, no magic on this one so if you are a fan of the canon, Triwizard, and dislike lesbian relationships, this is not the fic for you.
> 
> Enjoy!

"Come here my little flower" a soft voice called, and light footsteps promptly approached. A young blonde girl rushed and raised her tiny arms to the one sitting on a polished and ebony bench. The one sitting on it lifted the young girl and sat her on her right before focusing her attention on the keys in front of her.

"Grand-mère, why the keys are white and black?" the young blonde asked suddenly "they look confusing."

"My dear Fleur, it's the way life is" Antoinette Delacour smiled at her oldest granddaughter and ruffled her light blonde strands "white represents the happy moments while black are the not that happy ones" the first notes of Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Flowers were heard when the older woman gracefully touched the keys of her beloved piano "you see dear, life needs a balance of happiness and sadness to be worth living."

"I don't understand" Fleur pouted until she recognized the melody her grandmother continued playing; it was her favorite.

"You will understand when you are older, my dear flower" Antoinette whispered before reaching a high note "life is a song with highs and lows but every moment is part of the adventure of living." Fleur frowned deep in thought but didn't dare to interrupt her grandmother's passionate performance. Just when the last notes of the Waltz of the Flowers were heard, the young four-year-old jumped from the ebony piano bench and turned to look at her smiling grandmother.

"I know what I want to do, grand-mère," Fleur said with a wide smile before jumping from the piano bench.

"Is that so?" Antoinette asked with a warm smile.

"I want to play the piano like you" the young blonde stated with confidence and the older blonde stood and kneeled in front of her granddaughter.

"That will make me very happy, my dear Fleur," Antoinette whispered before engulfing her in a tight hug. A month later, the now five-year-old Fleur Delacour started her piano lessons with a tutor, a renowned retired pianist, and old-time friend of an also retired musical prodigy, the famous pianist _La brise printanière de la France_ , Antoinette Delacour.

* * *

After teaching Fleur how to play the basic chords, the young blonde started private lessons with her grandmother's friend, Hélène Farrenc or _tante Hélène_ as the famous former pianist had always treated her like a niece.

"Remember the pattern, now try again with your right hand only" Hélène asked in a soft but stern tone. Fleur flexed her right hand's fingers twice before placing it above the keys.

"G, C, E, four times" Hélène whispered in a stern voice "keep a slow tempo until you can play it without any mistakes." Surprisingly, it only took Fleur just a few tries to play the key combination flawlessly.

"Good, now shift up one," Hélène asked. Fleur's confused gaze made her smile; the young girl was still memorizing the name of the keys and was not completely acquainted with the lingo pianist were used to hear on daily basis.

"A, D, F four times, dear" the young blonde closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When her azure orbs reopened, they looked determined. Fleur's small hand hovered over the keys and pressed them softly; she was able to repeat the sound four times without a flaw.

"Très Bien, Fleur" Hélène clapped clearly satisfied; her young student was remarkably good "now, drop your thumb G, D, F, four times" after flexing her fingers, Fleur played the three keys confidently, but too strong for her tutor's taste.

"Remember that playing has to be as soft as a caress, you just don't stab the keys with your fingers," Hélène placed her right hand on some of the keys and applied too much pressure and the piano emitted a sharp sound "imagine they are covered in velvet and you just love the feeling against your fingertips." To prove her point, she played the first part of the melody she was teaching the young blonde, and her expert fingers glided through the keys eliciting soft tunes from the piano.

"Like velvet" Fleur stared at the keys. She liked velvet; the texture of it appealed to the young girl very much. Her beloved _Fluffy_ , the stuffed bunny mama Camille gave her when she was born, had a pink dress made of the soft material.

Fleur had spent uncountable hours brushing her fingers against the petite garment of her stuffed bunny. She knew the feeling, now she needed to project it to her playing. Her thumbs traced the tip of her fingers while trying to reminiscence the texture Hélène just mentioned.

"I think I know what you mean" Fleur commented before placing both hands on her lap. "can you play the entire song, please _tante_?"

"Sure" Hélène replied, and her hands hovered over the keys for a moment "close your eyes and try to hear it with your heart."

"You love talking in riddles, don't you tante Hélène?" Fleur pouted eliciting an amused giggle from the older pianist.

"Trust me on this one" the gray-haired woman replied with a warm smile "when you get to see the notes as colors with your eyes closed, playing will be a breeze." She didn't let Fleur reply and the moment the first notes of Bach's Prelude in C Major were heard, the young blonde closed her eyes.

In the beginning, darkness surrounded her. Soon, piano music engulfed her and each key glowed blue in her mind. Every time a note sounded; she could feel the exact pressure applied by how bright the blue sparks shone.

And the sparkles remained in her mind forming a pattern she should follow in order to play flawlessly. The notes started making sense and her mind started filling with music. A smile curled into her lips; her fingers twitched when all sorts of tingles rippled down her spine the moment music took over her senses.

She finally understood what _tante_ Hélène told her in her cryptic ways. Music can be seen, and she just felt it coursing through her. Around two minutes and a half later, the song came to an end, and Fleur opened her eyes and looked down at her hands; she could almost see the blue sparks pooling on her fingertips pushing her to play.

"Can I try now, _tante_?" Fleur asked while balling her small hands. Phalanges closed and opened slowly, and Hélène observed amused her student's focused expression.

_She already looks like a petite piano master._

Her eyes widened when Fleur placed her hands above the keys, closed her eyes, and started playing as if she had been practicing the piece for weeks. She didn't miss a note, the tempo was perfect, she even prolonged some notes and the song sounded slightly different but overall flawless. Fleur Delacour just mastered a piece after hearing it once. Hélène didn't interrupt her and waited patiently until the young blonde finished playing and opened her eyes.

"Was it okay? I followed the blue sparks" Fleur questioned hesitantly.

"You saw colors?" Hélène asked surprised; that only meant one thing.

"Yes, I did" the young blonde nodded with a wide smile "is that bad?"

"No, it is spectacular" Hélène replied with a matching grin and hugged the now giggling girl "do you think you can play it again?"

"Oui, I think I can" Fleur nodded with a smile and sat in the middle of the bench the moment Hélène stood.

"Practice it a bit while I get your grand-mère" the piano instructor added before leaving the room. She found her old friend having tea with her oldest daughter and Fleur's mother, Apolline.

"You need to see this" Hélène commented before walking back to the piano room with Antoinette and Apolline in tow "Fleur is…" the retired pianist opened the music room's doors and the soft notes of Bach's Prelude in C Major invaded their senses.

"She's already mastered it?" Antoinette gasped and Apolline's eyes widened at the sight of her oldest daughter playing the piano with easiness.

"Fleur has perfect pitch" Hélène whispered while observing the young blonde play.

"How do you-"

"It takes one to know one" Antoinette interrupted her daughter "Hélène has perfect pitch, too"

"Oh" Apolline commented just when Fleur played the last notes and turned surprised when she heard claps from the door "that was wonderful, dear."

"I think I can do better" Fleur pouted when her mother ruffled her hair and kissed her cheek.

"Show us, then" Hélène placed a hand on her student's shoulder that flexed her fingers twice before taking a deep breath and starting the piece once more. It was as flawless as the first time she played it.

"That was beautiful, dear" Antoinette gave her granddaughter a wide smile while Hélène cleared her throat "but you are still in class, so we will leave"

Hélène mouthed a soft _thank you_ to her friend before she closed the door of the music room behind her and the retired pianist turned to look at her young student with a smile "now, where were we?"

* * *

Three months later, Fleur had her first official presentation in an homage for her grand-mère's forty years of career in the business. Despite having retired more than a decade ago, Antoinette Delacour was still admired and loved by her loyal fans.

Young Fleur played Mozart's fantasia in D minor without missing a single note and in front of the two thousand four hundred attendees to the Philharmonie de Paris that gave her a standing ovation that made the young pianist blush and her eyes fill with tears. After that, Fleur Delacour became a common face in the piano circles for youngsters.

She won several competitions against older pianists which gave her a reputation of being flawless in front of a piano and unreachable as she barely spoke to anyone apart from her piano tutor or her relatives. A couple of years later, her sister Gabrielle started competing, as well but with the violin. They even played rare duets on special occasions.

The talented siblings came from a line of musicians that started with Antoinette, one of the most treasured pianists of France, and their mothers were also involved in the music business. Apolline was a famous opera singer now retired to take care of the other business the Delacour's were famous for, wine.

On the other hand, their other mother Camille was a recognized first violinist that came back from Tokyo Philharmonic recently and now took a second violinist position in the _Orchestre National de Lyon_ just to be closer to her family.

Without a doubt, the Delacour siblings had the pedigree and the natural talent to show off which gained them the admiration and resentment of others. Despite that, Fleur paid no mind, but Gabrielle was a different story as she was more outgoing and made friends easily while Fleur preferred to be alone with the piano.

In the blink of an eye, the now nationally recognized Fleur Delacour was about to graduate from high school and her dream came true the moment she received the acceptance letter of Julliard to study music and composition.

In a matter of months, the young blonde would graduate and move to the other side of the world with a full scholarship which was ironic as the Delacour's were one of the wealthiest families of France, but Fleur made it clear to her mothers, that she wanted to forge a path of her own.

A reluctant Apolline and an amused Camille agreed on the condition that she always kept in contact with them and had regular medical checkups as the young pianist had told her mothers about a slight tingling sensation she felt in her fingers after finishing performing in a charity concert the prior month.

* * *

"Promise me that you will call me as soon as you land," Gabrielle pouted at her smiling sister before hugging her "don't smile, say that you will call me"

"Bien, I will call you as soon as I am allowed to use my mobile phone" Fleur hugged her sister back and kissed her on both cheeks. The young violinist didn't have time to react when her mothers hugged her, as well. Fleur sighed in contentment, she was not a big fan of being close to others, but the big exception would always be her family, the ones she treasured the most, so she relaxed into the embrace and her eyes betrayed her by letting a few tears escape.

"I still don't understand why you didn't want us to buy you an apartment in New York" Camille commented before letting her oldest daughter go.

"And why you refused using the family jet to get there" Apolline sighed slightly annoyed at her daughter's stubbornness.

"Mama, Maman, I want to do things my way as you did when you were my age" Fleur looked at her mothers in the eye before continuing "I don't think that I have to be surrounded in luxury to ace school."

"But-"

"She's right, mon amour" Camille held her wife and nodded to her oldest offspring "as long as she comes back for Christmas we won't intervene, we promised her that, remember?"

"Bien" a frowning Apolline replied and Fleur sighed relieved. The moment was interrupted when the next flights were called to board, it was time.

"I have to go" Fleur added in a soft tone to be engulfed by her mothers and sister once more. After letting her go and kissing her on both cheeks, the saddened parents let their oldest daughter go.

"See you at Christmas" Fleur waved with a small smile before heading to the airport's gate to board the plane that would lead her to a new chapter of her life.

_Julliard, here I come._


	2. 2nd movement: Toccata rallentando

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione's childhood is all but easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi and happy 2021. I wish this year is better for all of us as 2020 was literally crap XD. I have been having some delays in all my fics due to personal reasons so my deepest apologies. I think that my schedule is a bit better now so updates will be more frequent. January has been a crappy month in which I lost 3 great people in my life so I am still picking up the pieces, so please be patient.

At exactly four twenty-five in the morning, the loud screams of a baby filled a new mother with joy. A talented violinist took a break in her busy schedule to marry and start a family. After some time trying to get pregnant and failing, Jeanne Granger, had her wish come true when she got the good news that she was carrying a baby girl.

The _string goddess_ met her future husband in a charity concert where she was a guest performer. It was love at first sight that made headlines from the moment they locked eyes for the first time and never stopped fascinating their fans as both were two of the most well-known celebrities in England.

Jeanne Granger was an established violinist that had toured all over the world several times and had collaborated with numerous musicians which turned her into one of the most famous and wealthy string musicians of the world.

On the other hand, Lewis Duerre was also known as one of the fastest men alive as he had just won his third F1 championship in a row. He was also known for being a ladies' man that enjoyed partying and women a bit too much while Jeanne was very private about her life.

Both were incredibly stubborn in their own way. Lewis invited Jeanne out so many times and the elegant violinist, afraid of the racer's reputation, politely rejected him which made the man insist even more. That's why it was not a surprise when Lewis became a frequent attendee to Jeanne's concerts, sent her little gifts, and stopped the excessive partying and drinking. He was never seen with another woman again, but always gravitating around Jean Granger that was having a hard time hiding her own interest in the charming man.

During Jeanne's last concert of the year, and just before Christmas, the violinist finally accepted to go out with the racer that had been courting her for the last four months. They got married the following Christmas in a medieval castle covered in snow. It was a fairytale wedding.

Due to how complicated their schedules were, Jeanne put her career on hold for a few months and traveled with her husband for the rest of the racing season. During that time, she wrote several pieces of music while observing him practice and compete.

Lewis dedicated all his victories to his wife and showered her with love and attention. That same summer, Jeanne got pregnant and Lewis felt like the luckiest man on earth. Unfortunately, the violinist suffered a miscarriage the day her husband had a collision with another racecar that was trying to take first place.

A limping Lewis jumped out of his crashed racecar and ran to safety. When help arrived, someone told him that Jeanne just fainted and was bleeding. He was taken to the same hospital his wife was and didn't stop fighting everyone until he saw her. Lewis will miss part of the season as he severely injured his arms and broke his right ankle.

He never left Jeanne's side, and both supported each other. It would not be the first miscarriage the violinist would suffer, nor the last accident Lewis would have. Both became the strength of the other, and from that patience and support, they became stronger together.

Exactly two years after their wedding, Jeanne Granger announced that she would release a new album but won't tour as she decided on taking an even longer break from her career and Lewis decided to do the same to be by his wife's side, the reason, Jeanne was three months pregnant and was considered a high-risk pregnancy due to her previous miscarriages.

Lewis took care of his wife and was always there to please even the craziest of her cravings. He enjoyed watching Jeanne paint the nursery of her house while he tried hard to put the crib together. It took him a whole day along with one of his racecar mechanics, who did most of the job, in a blink of an eye.

Jeanne started keeping a journal after she reached six months of pregnancy after her doctor reassured her that everything was okay with her little girl but she had to take it easy as her heart was showing signs of weakening. The violinist added little sidenotes and easier ways for her unborn baby to learn how to play the violin when she grew up. She wanted her child to be as passionate about music as herself.

The violinist wanted her precious moments to be frozen in time and never wake up to the dream her life was at the time. Always the pragmatic, Jeanne set aside a trust fund with the rights to her music along with most of her wealth that her daughter would access at age 22 in case that something happened to her.

She knew that her husband had his own fortune, and could easily take care of their family, but he was prone to spend too much on silly things and she didn't want her daughter to suffer thanks to her husband's recklessness with money.

By the last trimester, the couple moved to a modest flat in London to be closer to the hospital Jeanne's doctor was, and the journals, the music sheets, and Jeanne's beloved violin stayed back in a box behind an immense collection of stuffed animals in the baby's nursery in the country house. She even recorded a few videos for her unborn daughter to watch, just in case.

Three months later, due to peripartum cardiomyopathy, Jeanne Granger died after giving birth to her first and only daughter, Hermione Jean Duerre Granger. Due to her previous miscarriages, the violinist's heart muscle had weakened severely, and was not able to pump enough blood to the rest of the body. The violinist had enough strength to kiss her daughter and smile at her for a few seconds before her eyes never opened again. Lewis was devastated.

At first, he cried while holding his sleeping daughter. Then, fought with every staff member and refused to take Hermione home. It was not until Mr. Müller, his manager, argued with his stubborn driver that the newborn would be taken to the flat in London. Lewis refused to move to the house his deceased wife owned as it reminded him of Jeanne.

Lewis, normally kind and professional, turned into a mess and threatened with suing the hospital. To avoid a bigger scandal as Jeanne was a well-known artist, and her death was a shock to the world, the medical institution decided to pay a settlement that the car racer spent in parties and trips while his newborn daughter was left in London under the care of a nanny. He adamantly refused to take her with him.

Three months later, Lewis Duerre came back to racing and his agent was the one in charge of Hermione's well-being. The racer despised his child as he blamed her for taking his beloved's life. Due to that, he was never around for joyful moments as her first word or when she learned to walk.

Hermione's first years went by in a blur. She only had her nanny and a maid that made food for her. She didn't see her father much as the F1 season was all over the world and the man avoided the flat as much as possible where the living reminder of his dead wife was as the young girl was a carbon copy of her mother.

Just a bit after Hermione turned five, her father was involved in a serious accident. After partying during a long weekend, a hangover Lewis was not at his best when during an important race, took a sharp turn that made his racecar hit another that burst into flames and collided with three more.

Lewis' reacted too late was not quick enough to leave his racecar when another flaming vehicle crashed and wrapped around his own. Panicking, he fought to get out of the scorching inferno engulfing him, but his seatbelt didn't budge. It took him almost a minute to finally be able to leave the accident site with severe burns and broken limbs. It would be the last time he would race professionally.

His face was covered in second-degree burns as he took off the helmet and balaclava trying to breathe, both of his legs were broken in different places and a great part of his arms and legs suffered first-and second-degree burns.

After several reconstructive burn surgeries, his once handsome face was now covered with scars of different thicknesses. It took him almost a year to be able to walk again, and now he had a slight limp.

Despite that, the now-retired racer resumed partying as soon as he was released from the hospital not caring about Hermione that had just started attending a prestigious private primary school. After all, Lewis just kept up appearances of being a loving father to Hermione in front of the cameras, when in reality, he was cold and distant with the young girl.

By the time Hermione turned eight, she could count with one hand the times she had seen her father during the last couple of years. In a way, the young brunette was glad that the man was not home as he was loud and rude towards her, but, at the same time, she wanted things to be different because, above all, he was her father.

The former racer now was a driver's trainer in charge of some of the most promising young talents for the same team that once signed him. It was a prestigious job that kept him busy and away from home for long periods of time.

Lewis was a great mentor to the young racers, but his demons were becoming a heavy burden. After his accident, he had become addicted to painkillers, and it turned out to be a common occurrence to mix his meds with hard liquor.

Despite that, his bosses never noticed as he looked fine. He was just the _good old Lewis_ that enjoyed drinking and partying a bit too much, but as long as he showed up the next day for work looking as professional as usual, nobody questioned his lethargic state at times.

Hermione was nine when the man that was more of a father than her own died due to a heart attack. Mr. Müller was the one taking care of the girl since she remembered. He was the one buying her cake, some presents, and flowers for her birthday and filling the tree with gifts for her before Christmas.

The kind man was always a phone call away for her and he was the one in charge of enrolling Hermione in the same private school as his own children so she saw familiar faces from day one.

Hermione cried her eyes out for the man that had always treated her with love and care and that now was gone for good. Lewis took her to the funeral and then out for some ice cream. It was a bizarre encounter between father and daughter with Lewis trying to be nice for once and Hermione staring at her ice cream.

"You should eat it before it melts" Lewis added not looking at her but at his jacket's inner pocket; his throat itched and he was trying hard not to drink from the flask he was hiding just to keep up appearances, as usual.

"I don't like mint chocolate chip ice cream" Hermione quietly replied while playing with her spoon.

"Why did you order it, then?" Lewis deadpanned and Hermione looked down at her melting ice cream.

"You said that it was mum's favorite" the youngster whispered and before Lewis scolded her further the J-Pop song of his mobile's ringtone blared loudly; it was one of his party buddies.

"I have to get this" Lewis turned to look at Hermione with a serious tone "and I hope that when I come back, you had finished the whole cup, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, father" the young brunette replied with a sigh and observed how her _father_ left the ice cream parlor to answer the phone. Hermione's eyes filled with tears when she remembered that the kind man that took care of her during all these years was gone, and now she felt like the loneliest girl in the whole world forced to be around the man that had ignored and terrified her all her life.

"Are you done with that?" Lewis spoke rather harshly and Hermione nodded while swallowing the last spoon of her ice cream "let's go, then"

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked softly.

"To the flat" Lewis replied before unlocking the car and sitting behind the wheel "I will drop you there as I have some business to attend to"

"You meant _a party_ to attend to" Hermione whispered but she was not quiet enough. The next thing she knew, her left cheek burned; her father had just slapped her.

"What did I say about your sarcastic remarks?" Lewis scowled at his now trembling daughter that withdrew to the farthest part of the backseat.

"That I should keep them to myself" Hermione replied in a shaky voice.

"Good girl" the former racer hummed before starting the car and ignoring his daughter's quiet sobs muffled by the upbeat J-pop coming from the radio.

* * *

Luckily for her, Lewis didn't stay long in the flat as he had called their maid in advance to arrange a suitcase for him. The moment Hermione entered the apartment, she locked herself in her room to avoid clashing with her father again.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Hermione winced when her fingertips touched the slightly swollen skin of her cheek. It was the first time her father actually hit her. He had always been harsh towards her but never lay a finger on her until today; now she knew better.

When she heard a soft knock on her door, Hermione opened it thinking it was her nanny to find the serious face of her father and she trembled.

"I will be away for a few days" Lewis started "so left some money with your nanny in case you need something for school or want to order some pizza"

"Thank you, father" Hermione replied in a soft tone while looking down at her feet. Lewis observed how red his daughter's left cheek was. The man took a step forward and raised her head by the chin.

"Blimey, sorry about that" Lewis added in a tone laced with regret "it's just-"

"Don't worry father, I will take care of it" Hermione promptly replied while locking eyes with her father for a brief moment before looking away.

"Brilliant" Lewis added before letting go and placed his hand on top of Hermione's head and patted it softly "be good"

"I will, father" Hermione added with a shy smile. Lewis just stared back with an unreadable expression before turning on his heel and strode out of the room. Seconds later, the front door was heard, Lewis was gone and the young brunette sighed relieved.

"Oh dear, what happened to your cheek?" the blonde nanny asked while approaching Hermione.

"I-I just fell" the young brunette stammered.

"Let me get you some ice" Amelia replied walking out of the room. Not a minute later, an ice pack was placed on Hermione's cheek that winced at the contact "do you fancy some pizza for dinner and a movie afterward?" the nanny offered to try to cheer the girl up. The nanny knew about Lewis's temper but never thought he would go as far as hurting his own flesh and blood.

"Thank you, I'd love that" Hermione smiled and held the ice pack against her left cheek.

"How about taking a warm bath while I order the pizza?" Amelia asked with a warm smile. She knew that the girl needed her space and nothing better than a bath to think things through.

"I will, thanks Amelia" Hermione smiled back, grabbed her bathrobe, and headed to her bathroom. She could definitely use a bath to relax and forget about everything right now.

_I try to be good. I try to be as proper and quiet as possible when he is around but nothing is enough to please him. His mood changes so fast and I am not able to make him smile but anger him. I just want a hug from you, I just want to feel loved by you, dad. Don't you see?_

"Is that too much to ask?" Hermione asked to no one in particular with tears threatening to leave her eyes. Water splashed everywhere the moment Hermione dunked her head underwater to mask her sobs.

_Mum, I wish you were here._

* * *

Two weeks later Lewis came back and brought Hermione her favorite snacks and a teddy bear that her nanny gave her as her father left on a business trip when she was still in school. The man just left some extra cash and didn't even wait to see his daughter.

"You know that he is a busy man, Hermione" Amelia commented while brushing her unruly curls "training all those drivers, and all"

"I understand that, but forgetting about his only daughter's birthday is unforgivable" Hermione threw her backpack on the bed and crossed her arms under her chest. She was about to continue on her angry rant when the doorbell interrupted her.

"I will get it" Amelia added, "in the meantime change your clothes, and don't forget to hang up your uniform."

"Yes, ma'am" a pouting Hermione added while starting to change into some shorts and a t-shirt.

"Here, the mailman just delivered this for you" Amelia handed her a small box with Hermione's name as the recipient.

"Who sent this?" A curious Hermione scanned the sticker attached to the box and let out a surprised gasp before rereading the mail sticker once more "To Hermione Jean Duerre Granger from Jeanne Granger"

"Isn't that-"

"Yes, it's from my mum." The young brunette quietly replied not knowing how to feel about the box in her hands.

"What are you waiting for? Open it!" Amelia asked excitedly and Hermione complied with trembling hands. Inside, she found a notebook, some envelopes, and a small velvet pouch.

"To Hermione when she turns one year, two, three, four, and all the way to ten years old, oh, and that one only says your name" Amelia read the labels on the envelopes that Hermione just spread on the carpeted floor and sat staring blankly at them, deep in thought.

"Aren't you going to read them, dear?" Amelia sat on her knees next to the quiet brunette.

"I-" Hermione took the one which only her name written on it and turned around to find a dark blue was a seal with _Granger_ written in italic "can I have a moment?"

"Of course, dear" Amelia hugged the young girl before standing once more "if you need me, I will be in the kitchen."

The moment her bedroom's door was closed and she was alone, Hermione broke the wax seal of the first letter and took a deep breath before unfolding the letter and starting to read.

_Dear Hermione,_

_If you are reading this, it means that I am no longer with you. I apologize in advance as this was one of the risks of getting pregnant again, but I really wanted to have you and nothing would stop me until I would be able to hold you in my arms. Yes, the doctors warned me about how much my heart had weakened after I lost your second little brother so I take the blame for this unfortunate situation and I deeply apologize about it, pumpkin._

_You might wonder why I continued with my pregnancy if I knew how risky it was. You see Hermione, I am a firm believer that nothing is permanent and everything in existence changes so I really hoped for a miracle and have a fairytale ending with a 'and they lived happily ever after' kind of ending, but that's not how life works, unfortunately._

_When I was six months pregnant with you, I started keeping a journal with all the things I wanted to teach you myself such as playing the violin just like me or craft butterflies and cranes with paper as I did when I was a kid. If I list all the things that I wanted to teach you, this letter would never end and we wouldn't want that, would we?_

_I know that you must be feeling sad as you might have only seen me in pictures but let me tell you that since the moment, I knew I was carrying you until the world ends, and beyond, you are my beloved daughter, the most valuable treasure of my life. Even if I am not there to watch you grow, my soul will be always linked to yours._

_Sadness aside, let's talk about this little box that should have reached you when you turned ten years old. Here you will find short letters for each one of your birthdays until you turn a decade. The notebook is the first of the four journals I wrote. The first half of it is filled with my perfected method of making paper crafts, especially planes, boats, cranes, and butterflies, I love making things as you can see._

_The second half of it has my personal notes on the easiest way to play the violin as my mother taught me. You see, pumpkin, you are coming from a long line of musicians as my grandma was one and your grandma was a great pianist, so I can say that music is in your veins, no pressure there._

_Oh yes, the velvet pouch. Inside you will find a set of keys, the big ones are to enter the Granger villa in Hampstead Lane. Once there, go to the attic and find an old steamer trunk with 'Granger' written in gold, inside you will find my first violin along with music sheets and albums with pictures of all the places I visited while on tour. As you can see, pumpkin, music can take you anywhere you want as long as you do your best, and most importantly, never give up even when the odds are against you._

_I wish I could see you and hold you in my arms to sleep, sing you lullabies and watch you while you walk for the first time, but as I wrote before, nothing is permanent with the exception of my love for you, pumpkin._

_I love you with all my heart Hermione, never forget it._

_Jeanne Granger, you mum._

Hermione hugged the letter and cried. This was the best and the most heartbreaking birthday present she had ever received in her ten years of age, but she wouldn't change it for anything else in the world. It took her some time, but she was able to go through all the letters to the point that she now knew them by heart.

Hermione also started making paper crafts like her mother instructed her and started concocting a plan to visit the _Granger villa_ and retrieving the contents of the streamer trunk her mother wrote about, and learning how to play the violin just like her mother did. It was, in her opinion, the best way to honor her memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me some time to write the letter from Jeanne to Hermione as it hits too close to home as I recently lost people close to my heart. I am not going to lie, I did shed a few tears during the subsequent rewrites of the last parts of this chapter. Do not fret, tho. The next chapter will be a bit lighter as we will join Hermione in her adventure to the Granger villa. If you have any suggestions, cookies, or just a virtual hug, let me know in a review.

**Author's Note:**

> Pianist Fleur and violinist Hermione are a delight to write.


End file.
